Scare Tactics is a hidden camera/comedy television show, produced by Kevin Healey and Scott Hallock. Its first two seasons aired from April 2003 to December 2004. After a hiatus, the show returned for a third season, beginning July 9, 2008. The first season of the show was hosted by Shannen Doherty. Stephen Baldwin took her place in the middle of the second season. Since the beginning of the third season, the show has been hosted by Tracy Morgan. The fourth season began on October 6, 2009.

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Scare Tactics is a hidden cameraprank show that puts victims into terrifying situations, usually involving movie-style special effects and makeup that recreates horror movie clichés. The victims, generally four per episode, are set up by friends/family in tandem with producers.

The victims are lured to a location, either invited there by people they know (who were in on the act), or reporting for what they thought was a new job. Soon they would experience some kind of terrifying scene—like a strange monster, an alien encounter, a terrible accident, or a violent crime being committed—all of which was staged while the victim was secretly being recorded.

There are some instances where the victims are lured into the pranks on the promise of being on a fake reality show called "Fear Antics" which plays off like a show similar to MTV's Jackass but end with dire consequences.

The pranks end when the victim is completely terrified and someone would ask them, "Are you scared?" to which they usually reply in the affirmative. They then get the reply, "You shouldn't be! You're on Scare Tactics!" or "I'll have to/I'm gonna put you on Scare Tactics!". Alternately, at times when a victim almost ran for their lives, they immediately announced the same thing.